In the media

Moldova will introduce a national anti-plagiarism system to check all bachelor’s and master’s theses starting this year, following an investigation into the buying and selling of academic papers. The Ministry of Education launched internal reviews, involved law enforcement, and called for parliamentary hearings with multiple state institutions to address academic fraud. Officials describe plagiarism as a serious issue undermining higher education and plan stricter laws, including possible annulment of fraudulent diplomas.

The government in Bangladesh will investigate widespread irregularities and corruption in the education sector from 2008 to 2025 and may publish a white paper based on the findings. Inspections have already revealed major issues, with action taken against 330 college-level lecturers, including dismissals and salary suspensions for using fake certificates.

Ghana is preparing to recruit 1,200 new university lecturers and 7,000 teachers to address staffing shortages, but the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission now requires all applicants to have their qualifications verified to prevent the use of fake degrees. This follows growing concerns about fraudulent and unaccredited certificates, which threaten education quality and credibility. UTAG stresses the need for stronger enforcement and legal action against academic fraud.

The principal of Educrest International School in Gurugram, India, has been arrested for allegedly running a fraud by falsely claiming Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) affiliation. The school is accused of admitting students without proper recognition, collecting fees under false claims, and compromising the academic future of at least 25 students.

A Moroccan court sentenced a university professor and four others for bribery and illegally selling master’s degree placements at Ibn Zohr University. The case highlighted the need for major reforms, including more transparency in admissions, stronger oversight, digital systems, and stricter anti-corruption measures to restore confidence in the education system.

A new Transparency International report titled Leaving No Learner Behind reveals widespread corruption in education systems across Africa, based on research in five countries: DRC, Ghana, Madagascar, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe. The study finds that practices such as ghost teachers, payroll fraud, cheating, exam bribery, and sexual exploitation are undermining education quality and access, particularly for vulnerable learners.

A new study highlights the expansion of a commercial ecosystem offering “academic misconduct appeal assistance” through social media platforms. Researchers found that these services target students at moments of maximum anxiety. The model has evolved from informal help to a platform-driven business that operates similarly to contract cheating services. Academic integrity is slowly turning into a purchasable good. The authors warn that the phenomenon reflects a growing misalignment between institutional communication strategies and student behaviour.

Academic integrity becomes a mandatory criterion in the evaluation of educational institutions in Moldova. The new regulations impose the establishment of strict policies against plagiarism and academic fraud. The measures apply to all study programs within the institutions of technical vocational education, higher education, and adult education to meet accreditation standards. They include mechanisms for prevention, identification, and sanctioning of deviations, as well as information and training programs for pupils, students, trainees, and teaching staff.

In its fight against forged certificates and corruption, Kuwait ordered all public and private sector employees to verify their academic certificates via the Sahel e-government app. The Civil Service Commission highlighted penalties of imprisonment and fines for using forged certificates. The move falls within ongoing efforts to combat forged certificates in both the public and private sectors to ensure academic integrity, equality and justice.

Senators urged the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to closely monitor diploma mills offering unaccredited graduate programs after around 100 teachers in Palawan reportedly paid for online courses that were later not recognized. The school involved allegedly offered an unauthorized extension program and is now under investigation. Officials encouraged teachers to verify programs through the Philippine Teacher Education Registry (PhilTER) database, while CHED also acknowledged staffing shortages in regional offices that make monitoring difficult.